Wave-motor.



PATBNTE'DIJAN. a1, 1905'.

' 1). G. WEBMS.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION SIDED MAY 5,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Alzomey WITNESSES.-

N0.'7s'1,11s. Q a PATENTED JAN. 31,1905;

1).. G. WEEMS'.

WAVE MOTOR.

' APPLICATION TIL ED MAY 5, 1904.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

, WITNESSES I i INVENTOR Alforney UNIT STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AVE-M TOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 781,113, dated January31, 1905.

' Application filed May 5, 1904:. Serial No. 206,445.

zen of the United States, and a resident of Bo-.

' nanza, in thecounty of Saguache and State of Colorado, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Wave-Motors, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of motors in which-a float is soplaced as to be actuated by the waves and in turn actuate anair-compressing mechanism.

The objects of the invention are to provide a wave-motor with means fortaking up or relieving sudden jars to the machinery due to the varyingforce of the waves; to automatically regulate the stroke of thetransmitting-lever, so that the stroke of the pumps may be regular asthe tide may riseor fall; .to cushion the piston ofthe air-pump againstbreakage,

.and to provide a novel and useful combina-. tion of air tanks andpumps.

1 accomplish by the 'constructionshown in These objects the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedapparatus, partly in section. Fig. 2 isa plan thereof. Fig. 3 is asectional view of an airpump. Fig. 4: is an enlarged elevation of theautomatic adjusting mechanism to regulate stgoke of lever accordingtorise and fall of ti e.

A represents a vertical well formed in a blufl or structure situated orbuilt at a point where the sea breaks with the required force. Theopening A from the well A to the sea is below the low-water line. In thewell A is located suitable guides A on which travel the rollers Z) ofthe float B. The float B is provided with a rod B, which extends upthrough the well and above the upper end thereof the required distance.

G designates a transmitting-lever in the" be opened, as shown, when itis desired to disconnect rod B from the lever G.

The bell-crank Gris provided with a loose transmitting-arm E, dependingfrom the axis 9 and serving-to automatically regulate the stroke of thepump-pistons, as will be described. This loose arm E is provided at itslower end with a flexible extension E, pivotally connected at its lowerend to the upwardly-projecting arm 6 of a rook-shaft E provided withfour depending pumpactuat ing arms 6 e 0 6 j The loose arm E is providedwith a pivotally-supported nut Z, the nut being mounted in a fork e bymeans of trunnions e entering slots 0 in said fork.

L is a long screw-shaft having a universal connection at one end Z withthe lower end of the lever-arm g and extending through the nut Z. Theother end of the screw-shaft is in sliding connection with a beveledgear K,

v mounted in a suitable bearing K at the upper end of a'frame K The hubof the gear K is provided with a square opening, and the end L of theshaft is correspondingly shaped, so that the gear K will rotate theshaft and yet allow it to slide therethrough. The gear K meshes into alarger bevel-gear J, mounted in bearings also on the frame K and theother face of the gear J is formed with pins or cog-teeth J, which meshinto a longitudinally-reciprocating rack H, mounted in bearings it h 11on the lower portion of frame K The rack H is provided with twoshouldersh 71*, between which the arm E E vibrates without normally strikingeither one. Should the tide begin to fall, however, the float B willdescend and pull down the long arm of lever G and throw its arm g to theleft, and this Will cause the loose arm E to strike the shoulder [Lslide rack H to the left, rotate gear J to the right, gear K in thedirection of thearrow, and the gear K will rotate the screwshaft I andcause nut Z to pull lever-arm E to the right, and so adjust it at theproper angle for actuating the rock-shaft E and pump-pistons. A rise inthe tide will cause a reverse operation of the adjusting mechanism, asthe right.

lever-arm E will then strike the other abut- I ment or shoulder 7t andmove the rack to the ion the mechanism against breakage byviolent'action of the waves.

M M represent two low-pressure doubleacting air-pumps, the piston-rods mm of which are connected to the arms a e of rock-shaft E and X Xrepresent two high-pressure doubleacting pumps connected to the arms 0of said shaft E. The pumps M M connect by suitable pipes 777. on withtwo low-pressure tanks I I, while the high-pressure pumps X X connect bysupply-pipes w m with the low-pressure tanks I I and by discharge-pipesw 00 with the high-pressure tanks 2 2, these pipes being valved, asusual, for such purpose. As shown in Fig. 3, the ends of thepump-cylinders are provided inside with cushioned supplemental heads Msuitably packed and lying beyond the ports. Between the cylinderheadsand the supplemental heads are placed strong buffer-springs M thetension of which may be adjusted by means of screws M, extendinginwardly through the cylinderheads into contact with bearing-plates atthe outer ends of the springs. These springpressed heads M serve tocushion any violent plunging of the pump-pistons m and also allow thepistons to approach close to the ports to force out all the air.

P P designate the machine to be operated, that shown being designated asan electric generator, and this generator or machine is actuated by asuitable motor, suppliedwith air from the high-pressure tanks 2 2 bymeans of pipes 3 3. The air exhausted from said motor will be returnedto the lowpressure tanks by a pipe 4.

Various modifications may be made in the above-described apparatuswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a wave-motor, the combination with a Wave-actuated float orplunger and a main lever connected therewith, of an automatic regulatoractuated from a member of said lever to regulate the angle of saidmember, upon the rise and fall of the tide and permit of an even strokebeing maintained.

2. In a wave-motor, the combination with a wave-actuated float orplunger and a main lever actuated thereby, of an automatically-adjustedtransmitting-arm connected to said lever and mechanism actuated thereby,to change its angle with respect to the main lever as the latter isdepressed or raised by the fall and rise of the tide.

3. The combination with the main lever having a rigidly-connected armand a loose trans- The flexible members G and E cush- Y mitting-arm, ofan automatically-operating adjusting mechanism connected to said rigidand loose arms and actuated from the loose arm to change the angle ofsaid loose arm with respect to the main lever.

4. The combination with the main lever having a fixed arm and a loosearm, of a screwshaft swiveled to the rigid arm, a nut on the loose armthrough which the shaft passes, a rack having abutmeuts beyond thenormal strokes of the loose arm, and gearing connecting the rack withthe screw-shaft for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the main lever having a fixed arm and a loosearm, of a screwshaft swiveled to the rigid arm, a nut on the loose armthrough which said shaft passes, a gear slidingly connected with theother end of the screw-shaft, a cog-wheel or pinion having gear-teethmeshing with said first gear, and a sliding rack meshing with thecog-wheel or pinion and provided with shoulders or abutments beyond thenormal strokes of the loose arm.

6. The combination with the float, of a main lever provided with aflexible member connected with the float-rod, and. also having a loosearm terminating in a flexible extension, and means for changing theangle of the loose arm with respect to said lever.

7. The combination with the float, of a main lever connected with thefloat-rod, means for adjusting the main lever to regulate the stroke ofits transmitting-arm, and an air-compressing mechanism operativelyconnected with said transmitting-arm.

8. The combination with the float, a main lever connected therewith andprovided with a transmitting-arm, and means for regulating the stroke ofsaid arm, of an air-compressing pump operated by said arm and havingsupplemental yielding heads to cushion the pump against breakage fromsudden impulses of the said lever.

9. The combination with the float, a main lever connected therewith, andprovided with a transmitting-arm, and means for regulating the stroke ofsaid arm, of an air-compressing pump operated by said arm and havingsupplemental spring-cushioned heads to cushion the pump against breakagefrom sudden impulses of said lever and screws for regulating the tensionof the cushioning-springs.

10. In a wave-motor the combination with a float-actuated lever, havingan automaticallyadjusted transmitting-arm, of a rock-shaft actuated fromsaid arm and provided with a plurality of pump-operating arms, low andhigh pressure pumps connected to said arms, low-pressure tanks connectedwith the lowpressure pumps, high-pressu re tanks supplied by thehigh-pressure pumps from the lowpressure tanks; and an oiftake from thehigh- .pressure tanks to supply a suitable motor.

11. The combination With a Wave-motor, comprising a float, a leveractuated thereby and a rock-shaft actuated from said lever, of aplurality of high and low pressure pumps operatively connected with saidrock-shaft, a low-pressure tank supplied by the low-pressure pumps,high-pressure tank supplied by the high-pressure pump from thelow-pressure tank, a motor supplied from th'e'highpressure tank and anexhaustpipe leading from the'motor back to the low-pressure tank.

In testimony whereof I mix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID e. WEEMS.

Witnesses:

JOHN ScHMALL, GEORGE O. BERNER.

